South Africa A 159 for 5 (Markram 83*, de Bruyn 41, Nadeem 2-41, Kuldeep 2-51) trail India A 417 (Gill 92, Nair 78, Dube 68, Saha 60, Saxena 48*, Mulder 3-47, Piedt 3-78) by 258 runs

South Africa A slumped against spin on the second day of the second four-day game against India A, but there was one encouraging development for the visitors as Aiden Markram found some form in the lead-up to the Test series. Responding to India A's 417, South Africa A trailed by 258 runs at stumps, with half their side back in the dressing room, but with Markram still at the crease on 83 off 140 balls.

Markram had endured an unhappy time during the first four-day game in Thiruvananthapuram, scoring 0 and 4. Runs finally came his way in Mysore, and he held South Africa A's innings together even as Kuldeep Yadav and Shahbaz Nadeem ripped through the heart of their batting. Markram and his Test team-mate Theunis de Bruyn put South Africa A in a solid position with an 82-run stand for the second wicket, before the spinners combined to turn 102 for 1 to 142 for 5 in the space of 15.2 overs.

Kuldeep, who is vying for a starting place in India's Test bowling attack, took the wickets of Senuran Muthusamy and Heinrich Klaasen, who are both in South Africa's squad for the Tests.

At stumps, South Africa A were 159 for 5, with the allrounder Wiaan Mulder batting alongside Markram.

Mulder had made an impression at the very start of the day, when he dismissed Karun Nair in the second over of the morning, before the batsman could add a run to his overnight 78. Thereafter, though, South Africa A had to wait long periods between wickets, as the lower middle order dug in. Wriddhiman Saha, on 36 overnight, went on to make 60, while Shivam Dube contributed a quickfire 68 off 84 balls, with 10 fours and a six.

Dube fell after putting on 63 for the sixth wicket with Jalaj Saxena, who went on to add 68 with the last four batsmen, and finish unbeaten on 48.

Mulder and the offspinner Dane Piedt, who is part of South Africa's Test squad, finished with three wickets each, while Vernon Philander and Lungi Ngidi took a wicket apiece.